The Hobbit

[Phuel]

^^^ Thanks heels for the posts.

You know, around this time of year-- especially when Dec rounds the corner and this next chapter of The Hobbit will be released, I always reclaim that sense of childlike wonderment and utter, blissful escapism of fairy tales and Christmas, especially this chapter with Lake Town and all the falling snow and frozen lakescape: It's so perfect for this time of year...

I adored that exact enchantment about the LOTR trilogy some 13 years ago had over me, and that same warm, fuzzy feel is here again with The Hobbit. It's the ultimate guilty pleasure for me; with the stress of the industry, and just life in general-- this is my great escape.

I hope Jackson and Co will set to work on The Silmarillion next-- when the legality of ownership of this book is finally settled. I appreciate the LOTR book(s), but never was a fan of it, and have never read The Hobbit. I did see the animated version, which apparently, faithfully follows the book, and thought it was childishly bland, generic and forgettable. But The Silmarillion, that is such a regal epic I adored it from the very first page.

The fab Elvenking Thranduil seems to have been modeled after Galliano... The 3rd trailer and best yet:

 

[wickedcrazyness]

^That trailer is the best one yet. I am so excited for this movie.

You know, around this time of year-- especially when Dec rounds the corner and this next chapter of The Hobbit will be released, I always reclaim that sense of childlike wonderment and utter, blissful escapism of fairy tales and Christmas, especially this chapter with Lake Town and all the falling snow and frozen lakescape: It's so perfect for this time of year...

I adored that exact enchantment about the LOTR trilogy some 13 years ago had over me, and that same warm, fuzzy feel is here again with The Hobbit. It's the ultimate guilty pleasure for me; with the stress of the industry, and just life in general-- this is my great escape.

Perfectly said. I feel the exact same way.

 

[heelscatchfire]

^ Agreed, there is so much excitement and warmth when the time for any movie from the series to premiere.

Thranduil looks amazing (those eyebrows!), the casting and costume is perfect & on point for all the actors. A little of topic, but I recently realized how hot the actor that plays Azog is!

I haven't read The Silmarillion yet. I have read the LOTR trilogy and The Hobbit. I enjoyed all of them, the Hobbit not as much. Its my least favorite.

 

[heelscatchfire]

Anyone seen the film? I loved it! Especially the barrel scene. I was surprised at the elf and dwarf love storyline. I had thought Tauriel (sp?) had been added in as a love interest for Legolas.

 

[kokobombon]

I´m having second thoughts about going to see it on the cinema... I´m annoyed that they´re only releasing in on 3D. imo not every movie is suited for 3D and it didn´t bring anything to the first one...

 

[valeryblack]

I saw it last night and loved it!! Much better than the first one IMO. Liked the whole elves storyline (though Orlando Bloom's eyes look kind of creepy :-D)

 

[heelscatchfire]

^ yes! What was with Orlando? All the CGI to make him look younger, diminished his features and the eyes were so strange. I know it was hard for him to wear contacts in the LOTR trilogy.

 

[wickedcrazyness]

^It was interesting because there was a real resemblance between Legolas and his father, Thranduil. Legolas was so much colder looking in this movie. Something to do with his eyes especially.

kokobombon, it is being played in both 3D and 2D in my city. I saw it in 3D. There is nothing that explodes out of the screen at you, but it did give the movie more depth.


Overall, I liked the Desolation of Smaug, but I do feel that a couple of scenes were stretched out too much.

 

[Phuel]

It was enjoyable as a typical, mainstream blockbuster for the general audience.

I know that's what these Middle-earth films are: Blockbusters. But, they always had soul and thought and much care put into them, through repeated viewings, this Middle-earth becomes more and more rich. Even An Unexpected Journey was immersed in the lore of Middle-earth, and retained much of the first trilogy's charms and sense of wonder. I always viewed these films as such obsessively dedicated adaptions of Tolkien's works by genuine fans of both Tolkien's literature and films. And they in turn, just happened to be blockbusters.

I didn't get that feeling with this one. As mentioned, it was enjoyable, but it also felt empty, and kind of without the soul; It all felt like just action set to action set. It felt like a really good imposter trying to get away with pulling off Jackson and Company's lovely Middle-earth, and as great as it looked, it lacked substance. I was actually shocked at howe bland the dialogue was when they actually took time between the non-stop action-- and lazy. There were so many instances throughout the film where the dialogue was lifted from The Lord of the Ring trilogy films. And when it wasn't, some of the dialogue was so insipidly lazy:

Tauriel: "I thought you were an Orc..."
Legolas: "If I were, you'd be dead".

Something is definitely festering in the heart of Middle-earth this time, to me. Maybe I just need to see it again when it comes out on BR so I can enjoy it by myself. I definitely hope the Extended Edition for The Desolation of Smaug will change my mind. Because on first impression, I'm not feeling it as a part of the other films.

 

[alonsoJonathan]

I have so Many questions about this movie

I love it either way!!

if anyone would like to answer some of my questions let me know!!

 

[Phuel]

^^^ Questions inspired by the film? Or questions about how the film seems... lacking?

 

[alonsoJonathan]

A lil bit of everything lol

 

[Phuel]

^^^ In the words of Gwen Stefani: What you waiting for...?

I have an inquiry. Perhaps this has more to do with Tolkien's choice: Why are the hobbits living in a pre-industrial/ Victorian age, as clearly defined by their dress and furnishings, while the rest of Middle-earth seems to be in the depths of medieval Europe? I know that the hobbits are meant to represent the country life that Tolkien championed, but within the context of his mythology, it's so jarring.

Which leads me to how this type of century-hopping is evident in this new film: Laketown has an obvious Tudor-style, which seems such a glaring contrast to the dwarves medieval origins-- and Bilbo's Victorian one... I suppose the most valid conclusion to all this century-hopping may be that Middle-earth is an amalgamation of all the Anglo-Saxon ages? I mean, some of the Orcs on the first trilogy spoke with a Cockney-accent, as did the Trolls in AUJ...

 

[alonsoJonathan]

So in lotr movie when gandalf fight with the fire demond (balrogs) it appears that he had already fight with him once thats why he was scared. Soo is that going to happen anywhere on the next hobbit movie?? Or im just completely loss lol

 

[alonsoJonathan]

Also when is saruman come in the story??

 

[Phuel]

^^^ No. There's no Balrog in the next one. Gandalf, along with the White Council, will be going up against Sauron in the next one, though. And I think he also shows up at the Battle of the Five Armies? I've only seen that horrible Rankin/ Bass animated feature of The Hobbit, never cared to read the actual book, and I think he was at that battle in their adaptation.

I don't think it's described anywhere in the appendices that Gandalf ever faced a Balrog before his fateful confrontation with the one in Moria. He feared them because like him, they're a type of Maiar. So, essentially, they're equals.

 

[Phuel]

^^^ I suspect Saruman may be there at the battle with Sauron?

He's already quite shady in Peter's depiction in An Unexpected Journey, so he may have already been turning against the White Council at that point.

 

[alonsoJonathan]

but in the first movie of lodr he was "good" at the beginning.

I wish they do a movie like how everything started. Way before the ring were made lol

 

[Littleathquakes]

^^^ I suspect Saruman may be there at the battle with Sauron?

He's already quite shady in Peter's depiction in An Unexpected Journey, so he may have already been turning against the White Council at that point.

Anything to see Christopher Lee on screen.

 

[faywray]

The thing I don't like about the Hobbit films is that they feel like the LOTR. The Hobbit and LOTR books feel completely different and I wish Jackson would have stuck to that.